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Percy Carey: Tyrese Reveals More MAYHEM! Details

[Each week, Complex columnist Percy Carey a.k.a. MF Grimm dives into the world of comic books with industry interviews, reviews and more. All MF Grimm music can now be purchased on Itunes]

After the incredible response last week to my face to face interview with Mr. Tyrese Gibson about his comic MAYHEM!, I couldn't wait to confirm with him which one of one of the five publishing companies (DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse, IMAGE Comics or BOOM! Studios) was the official home for his comic book. But for his own reasons, he wanted to wait until this week to actually announce it.

Tyrese kept his promise to me that I would get a second opportunity to interview him face to face, but because of personal matters I needed to attend to, my second interview was unfortunately conducted over the phone and was brief because I only needed to confirm that one unanswered question...that one unanswered question that everyone in the comic book industry demanded me to confirm: What company is MAYHEM! with? I promised to give the Complex.com readers what they wanted (did you see how many people left comments? that's crazy right?) and once again, Mr. Tyrese Gibson delivered. So here it is: Tyrese Gibson is still causing comic book MAYHEM! Thank you and enjoy the interview below...

Percy Carey: Hello Tyrese

Tyrese Gibson: Hey what up

Percy Carey: I'm good, how was your trip?

Tyrese Gibson: Oh, the trip was wonderful, thank you for asking. How are you?

Percy Carey: I'm good, I can't really complain. I know you're a busy man; this will only be a few minutes. I'm going get right to where we left off last time, Tyrese.

Tyrese Gibson: OK, let's go.

Percy Carey: What is the official company publishing Tyrese Gibson's MAYHEM!?

Tyrese Gibson: OK, The official Company is Image Comics, but the comic itself was produced through my comic publishing banner XiT ComiX, which is a division of my multi-media company, Headquarter Entertainment.

Percy Carey: Wow, OK. Why couldn't you say Image to me last time? You know how many phone calls I got because I didn't get that answer from you? You like building suspense, huh? [Laughs]

Tyrese Gibson: You gotta have mystique, you know? I had to make sure everything was official with the paperwork and stuff. The deal is finalized and now it's time to bring MAYHEM!

Percy Carey: That's understandable. My next question is, out of the five names I mentioned, what was it that made you decide to go with Image?

Tyrese Gibson: Image is one of the best companies in the comic world. They have a long history of great titles and I am excited to be apart of their history. They're also very creator-friendly and have good instincts when it comes to the creative process. I'm really excited about this relationship I've built with Image.

Percy Carey: I already expected all of the guys to like MAYHEM!, but you single-handedly increased female comic book readership last week [Laughs]. In the history of feedback to replies here on Complex.com, there has NEVER been that many responses to ANY story....And how does that make you feel to see so many people interested in your comic book debut this early?

Tyrese Gibson: I'm humbled by it, and if anything, I hope I don't over think about the outcome, 'cause I know so many people are anticipating it. [Laughs]

Percy Carey: Are you trying to make comic books cool? or something because I have never witnessed anything like that in my life, I got emails from about a million women wanting to know if your going to make your self available and have autograph signings at comic book shops? And other retail stores.

Percy Carey: Do you have anything up in coming that you would like the people to know about any signings or events?

Tyrese Gibson: I'm doing an unveiling of MAYHEM! on April 15th in Los Angeles. It's gonna be crazy. Big red carpet event. I've sent invites to all the big local comic talents. I want everyone to come to this.

Percy Carey: Can you send it to me?

Tyrese Gibson: It's on it's way.

Percy Carey: Is it OK if I post it for the Complex viewers?

Tyrese Gibson: Of course. Blast off with it!

Percy Carey: I'll be there. Tyrese, thank you for your time, man, and I guess I'll see you at theMAYHEM! Event

Tyrese Gibson: No problem, P.

CLICK NEXT TO READ THE LETTER TYRESE RECENTLY SENT TO COMIC BOOK RETAILERS!

With the release of MAYHEM! coming up, Tyrese recently sent the following introductory letter to comic book retailers:

I hope this letter finds you well.Â
Â
You will be seeing a lot of me the coming months as I reprise my role as Master Sgt. Epps in TRANFORMERS 2: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN.Â But come late this summer, I want you and the rest of the world to see me in a different light when you pick up the Image Comics title, MAYHEM!.Â Â Outside ofÂ the movies and the music for which I'm known, I want you and everyone else toÂ experience my exciting new venture into the world of comic books.Â

I believe I haveÂ created something special with MAYHEM!, and I want to share it with you. Robert Kirkman, one of the partners at Image and author of the best-selling title, THE WALKING DEAD, sang praise to MAYHEM! with this,

"With the entertainment world at large currently bowing at the feet of comics and its ideas, it's incredibly exciting to haveÂ a media mastermind like Tyrese Gibson turningÂ his attention our way.Â Â MAYHEM! is a unique, engagingÂ comic-book experience that could only come from the mind of someone who's risen to the top of so many different fields--anxious to take another by storm.Â Ready or not, Tyrese Gibson is in the house--and it's going to be MAYHEM!"Â Robert Kirman (IMAGE Comics)
Â
I have always been open minded to new things, and I've said this a few times: I'm no comic book veteran, but when I went to Comic-Con to promote Death Race, that energy out there really did something to me. I had no idea... So that's when I decided I wanted to not only be a part of this world, but I wanna create something that I know the die hard comic book followers out there would appreciate. I know other celebrities in the past have lent their names to comic book titles, but no one has ever or will ever put the commitment to push their comic in the grass-roots level in the way I am about to with MAYHEM!.Â I have great respect for comic book lovers. They have been extremely supportive of me, especially due to Transformers 1 and 2 . Just like my supporters of music and film, they're the ones who gave me energy to enter the comic book world. I embrace them all equally, because without them, I wouldn't be here.

True comic book fans can smell b.s. a mile away, which is great and what's needed for the comic industry; because it forces creators to put out a higher grade of product. Stories and books have to be top notch, and at the end of the day, I thank them for holding everyone to a higher standard. MAYHEM! is a true passion project of mine.Â Right now, I am not worried about the movie, the merchandising, or other ancillary rights that will naturally follow.Â All I care about is making the best comic book title possible for readers to enjoy.Â Of course I will use all major media outlets to promote MAYHEM!, from the globalÂ TRANSFORMERS 2 press tour, to the magazine interviews, to TV show appearancesÂ -- but I also will be more hands on to get the word out on MAYHEM!.Â

I want to reach out to the vendors, the shop owners, the bloggers, and the comic book fans to let them know that I am serious about bringing them the best and first-class comic book, and I believe that book is MAYHEM!.
Â
I created MAYHEM! with writers Mike Le and Will Wilson, and artist Tone Rodriguez.Â It is a gritty, dynamic story about a masked vigilante who dares to clean up his home city of Los Angeles by taking on, Big X, the crime lord who holds several dark secrets.Â MAYHEM! is a modern day gunslinger who seeks refuge in the basement of a church. Â If you liked Garth Ennis' run on THE PUNISHER, and Frank Miller's run on DAREDEVIL, then you will love MAYHEM!.Â Â You will be talking about MAYHEM long after you closed those pages.Â And that's my promise to you.
Â
I am celebrating the unveiling of MAYHEM! this coming Saturday, April 25th, in Los Angeles.Â Attached is the flyer with info and a sneak peak at the cover...
Â
Sincerely,
Â
Tyrese Gibson
CEO & Founder
XiT ComiX
A division of Headquarter Entertainment
Â
For all inquiries and interview requests, please contact
Mike Le
Vice President
HQ Pictures and Xit Comix

Â

I decided to contact IMAGE myself and was fortunate to get Mr. Eric Stevenson on the phone. Mr Stevenson was even gracious enough to allow me to add a quote directly from him for this article:

"We couldn't be more pleased to have Tyrese Gibson at Image Comics. Given his outstanding track record in a other media, we're tremendously excited to help him bring his creative vision to comics!""

Image Comics Partner (Mr. Robert Kirkman) had said in the past that he was "here to save comics," which caused villains to come out of their evil lairs; but if Mr. Kirkman and Image Comics are willing to think outside of the box (The way Casey Seijas and Karen Berger did with me and my comic at Vertigo DC Comics) and he's able to see the vision of creators like Tyrese Gibson with his comic book MAYHEM!, well then Robert Kirkman and Image Comics deserves my support. So it's time for Percy Carey to throw on his cape and join him on his fight and pound these muthafuckas into the ground. We're going to create our very own league of superheroes who, when duty calls, will stick it out and "fight the good fight." So my last question goes out to all of the comic book publishers who are tired of feeling like you have no choices any more but to be a slave to old ways of thinking. My question to you is simple...Are YOU next to join the league?.

DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT...Percy Carey picks the hottest releases from the week of 4/22/09[Assisted by comicbookpage.com]

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #592

Written by MARK WAID Penciled by MIKE MCKONE Cover by JOE QUESADA Wolverine Art Appreciation Variant by PAOLO RIVERA '24/7,' Part One-In the aftermath of Spidey's Fantastic Four voyage, his whole world is turned upside down by the new rules of the world. The good news is that after all these years, Spider-Man finally gets the upper hand on J. Jonah Jameson--but it's gonna cost him, particularly with the all-new Vulture winging into town! Plus--Peter drops by Aunt May's house for the shock of his life! Set your faces to stun!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BUCK ROGERS #0

Scott Beatty (W) Carlos Rafael (A) Join us as we present comicdom's first hero -- Buck Rogers... the first man out of time... the first man to be taken out of his present environment and put into the future! In the tradition of such best-selling introductory Dynamite launches as Red Sonja and Battlestar Galactica, Dynamite is launching the all-original #0 issue for just 25¢! Under a John Cassaday cover (Cassaday serves as series cover artist), writer SCott (Batman) Beatty and artist Carlos Rafael present an original 12 page comic book adventure - 'The Death of Buck Rogers'! This is where it all begins and Dynamite's plans for Buck Rogers follow the model that they've followed over the years beginning with Red Sonja, embracing the history of such classic characters, but giving them a modern edge for today's audiences! All this, and for a quarter to introduce you to the new canon of Buck Rogers! Look for the Alex Ross Sneak Peek cover, featuring a look at Ross' cover to issue #1 of the Dynamite series!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EX MACHINA #41

Written by Brian K. Vaughan Art by Tony Harris & Jim Clark Cover by Tony Harris It's the beginning of a new storyline - one that will finally reveal the true source of the Great Machine's strange powers! As New Year's Eve approaches, Mayor Mitchell Hundred makes a shocking announcement while the retired Super Hero's past returns to haunt Times Square.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JACK OF FABLES #33

Written by Matthew Sturges & Bill Willingham Art by Russ Braun & Jose Marzan Jr. Cover by Brian Bolland Part 2 of 'The Great Fables Crossover'! This is the opening salvo in what will come to be known around the world as 'The Great Fables Crossover' (except for that one issue of FABLES that comes out the previous week that actually starts it, but who gives a crap?). You know, everyone is always saying, 'Hey, we want to see Jack get his ass kicked.' And since this is a crossover, there could be all kinds of people who might be kicking Jack's ass. But it'll probably only involve the one person you're thinking would do something like that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NEW AVENGERS #52

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Pencils by BILLY TAN & CHRIS BACHALO Cover by BILLY TAN Who is the new Sorcerer Supreme? The entire Marvel Universe hangs in the balance as the Avengers race to help the fallen Doctor Strange battle the forces of the Dark Dimension as they make their earthly power play.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WOLVERINE WEAPON X FILES

Written by JEFF CHRISTIANSEN, RONALD BYRD, ERIC J. MOREELS, STUART VANDAL, MICHAEL HOSKIN, CHAD ANDERSON, RICH GREEN, JEPH YORK, MARKUS ETTLINGER, MADISON CARTER & MIKE FICHERA Cover by FRANK MARTIN A brand-new, all-inclusive handbook for Hollywood's favorite mutant, spotlighting a complete biography of Wolverine! He may be in an acre of comics each month, but this is the only place to get the real SCore! Also featuring some of the Canucklehead's best allies - including Gambit, Maverick, Tyger Tiger and X-Force! And along for the ride are villains - the likes of Blob, Daken, Deadpool, Mastermind, Orphan Maker, Donald Pierce, the Purifiers, Sabretooth and S'ym! And more than four dozen other stars linked to our man Logan from Amiko to Silver Fox!